Parent Leadership Cohort

21 Weeks of Learning and Empowerment

PLTI seeks to:

  • Expand the capacity of parents as change agents for children
  • Facilitate parents’ capacity to offer input into community efforts on the neighborhood, city, regional and state level
  • Facilitate systems change for parental involvement with increased utilization of parents in policy and process decisions
Parents complete two phases of training built on interactive adult learning practices:
  • 10 weeks of parent leadership coursework focused on voice, difference, values, and problem definition;
  • 10 weeks of parent leadership coursework focused on how change occurs for children including best practice, data analysis, model policy;
In addition, parents participate in a retreat designed to develop group cohesion and define mission. Finally, each participant develops a community project that highlights the skills honed during their PLTI coursework.

The Children’s Leadership Cohort

Youth Empowerment through Literacy and the Arts

The Children’s Leadership Cohort is an organic bridge for parents and children that focuses on family, empowerment and improving the community. It runs as a parallel course to PLTI and is for the children of cohort participants. Anchored in literacy, the Children’s Leadership Cohort creates a full spectrum of activities to encompass multiple intelligences, organized into two sections:

  • Developing Community and Democracy
  • Civic Skills
CLTI participants regularly “report out” to the PLTI Cohort on their project work to further practice their speaking and presentation skills.

After the Cohort

A Lifetime to Make an Impact in the Community

PLTI seeks to continuously impact the Rochester region related to issues that impact children and families. We do this in three ways: Ongoing Leadership Development for Our Parent Leaders. Our parents can participate in development activities based on their needs and interests. Parent leaders also participate in community events and projects where they can practice their facilitation, presentation or program development skills with PLTI staff and community partners.

Community Impact Support for Our Parent Leaders. Our parent leaders are active in the community, and PLTI supports the ongoing completion of the community projects that start during the cohort or new initiatives that alumni are involved with in the community.

Community-wide Parent Education. PLTI utilizes its parent leaders and other community leaders to provide opportunities for learning for parents on various issues that impact children and families in our region. We are always seeking partnership for this work across the community.

PLTI’s National History:

PLTI is a family civics initiative created by the Connecticut Commission on Children (COC), now known as the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity. NPLI is the national replication arm for PLTI out-of-state sites. The NPLI works in collaboration with towns and regions to implement quality parent leadership for good child outcomes.